Method of and apparatus for heating hot water and steam



(NoModelJ A 2Sheets-Sheet 1. W. HEOKERT. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING HOT WATER AND STEAM- Patented-June 13, 1893.

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- W. HEOKERT. 7 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING HOT WATER AND sTEAM; No. 499,322. Patented June 13, 1893.

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TC FF E UNITED STATE PATENT Furor:s

WILLIAM HEOKERT, OF FINDLAY, ASSIGNOROF ON E-HALF TO BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING HOT WATER AND STEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,322, dated June 13, 1893.

Application filed February 1, 1893- Serial No. 460,527. (No model.)

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to steam boilers, and the objects are to provide an improved method of and .apparatus for heating hot water and steam, whereby superior results are attained with but a small expenditure of fuel.

The invention consists essentially in an improved method of heating water or steam, which consists in applying the highest degree of heat resulting from the combustion of fuel to the hottest portion of the water or steam, so as to maintain the highest temperature at such point, and heating the remainder of the water within the boiler by causing the heated air and volatile products of combustion to issue from the combustion chamber at about said point of highest temperature and pass downwardly through an upwardly-moving current of water supply through successively reduced temperatures to a point at which the minimum temperature is reached, and thence into the stack, whereby the heat discharged from the combustion chamber will be utilized in gradually increasing the temperature of the water in the direction in which the highest temperature is attained, while gradually reducing its own temperature in the opposite direction.- I

The invention consists further in an improved apparatus for carrying the aforesaid method into effect, and-in certain features of construction and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this description.

It has heretofore been the common practice to place the fire-box or combustion chamber under the boiler or as low as possible, so that the heat acts first upon the coldest stratum of water and the residue passes off at a point where the temperature in the boiler is highest, that is, the place where the steam is located, and at a higher temperature than that of the steam, thus leaving ofi'its work at a point where it is most needed in order to intensify the heat of the steam and thus increase its pressure. As a result the greater portion of the heat, instead of being'put to useful work, is wasted.

The primary object of my invention is to prevent this undue waste of heat and fuel, and to provide for its utilization to the fullest extent and also to better advantage than is possible in the use of boilers of ordinary construction.

One form of apparatus which may be employed in practicing the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein- Figure] represents a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation of the boiler or heater;

, and Fig. 2 a cross-section of the same; the section being taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference are used to denote similar parts of the apparatus.

A, denotes the fire-box or combustion chamber which may be surrounded by a water space a, a, and provided with a superimposed steam dome or chest B.

0, 0, denote a series of pipes or flues for conducting the residue of heat and volatile products of combustion from the fire-box to the smokestackor chimney D. These fiues may consist ofacontinuous coil of pipe extending in a serpentine course from the inlet 0, to the outlet c thereof communicating with-the stack, but I preferably use a series of pipe sections which may be connected at their ends by couplings O, uniting the outlet end of one section with the inlet end of the next succeeding section, and provided with a duct 0 to establish communication between such ends. The pipes or fiues O, C, are in-. closed within larger pipes or flues E, E, the ends of which are connected by the couplings O, in the manner described with reference to the pipe sections C; the couplings being provided with ducts 6, leading from the outlet of one pipe section to the inlet of the next succeeding section as shown. The heat fines are thus completely enveloped by the column of liquid contained within the annular space surrounding the smaller flues, so that the heated column of air and products of combustion issuing from the discharge openings in the combustion chamber and passing through said fiues shall impart their heat to the column or columns of water surrounding said fines, and being thus gradually deprived of heat, in passing from a point at which the water attains its highest temperature through successively reduced temperatures to a point of minimum temperature, pass into and out of the stack in a cold condition.

E denotes the supply pipe communicating with the lower pipe section E of the tubular boiler, and E, a valve for controlling the supply to said pipe.

F, F, denote a. series of horizontal partitions or battle-plates which extend alternately from opposite ends of the boiler-inclosin g casing and terminate a suitable distance from the end wall of the casin g to provide an opening at such point for the passage of air, thus forming a zi -zag course for the introduction of air to the combustion chamber.

G, denotes an opening or door for the admission of air to the air flues formed by the aforesaid partitions.

F F denote a series of vertically disposed partitions separating the series of pipes E, E, and dividing the space within the boiler casing so as to form a corresponding series of flues or conduits for the air supply leading to the combustion chamber. The cold air enters the door G, and moving in the direction of the arrows 1, Fig. 1, passes the horizontal partition or baffle plate F, above the lower flue at the open endf, of said plate, and then along the next tube and its partition F, past the open end f, of said partition, and so on until it finally reaches the air space g, under the fire-box, communicating with the air space g, at the end of the fire-box, and enters the open end or ends of the air tube or tubes H, H. The air tubes H, are provided with conical plugs or valves H, which are tapped through the side of the boiler casing and adapted to be screwed in or out-for the purpose of regulating the supply of air to the combustion chamber. Within the tubes H, H, may be fitted gas pipes h, h, which are provided with a series of gas jets or injectors h, for supplying gas to the combustion chamber. The plugs H fit over the gas tubes h, and may be adjusted along the same to vary the size of the opening for the admission of air as may be desired. It will thus be seen that the cold air entering at the door G, will absorb the heat radiated from the water tubes E, E, between the successive horizontal partitions or baflie-plates and that at each up! ward step it reaches a higher temperature of radiated heat, coming finally to the highest temperature adjacent to the fire-box, whichit enters in a heated condition, thereby securing perfect combustion.

The boiler maybe suitablyincased in brick work or provided with a covering of asbestus or other suitable material as shown, and if stationary, may be mounted on a suitable foundation of masonry, as illustrated in the drawings, but of course such parts of the apparatus form no part of my invention and the boiler is designed for general application, and may be either moving, as in the case of locomotives, or stationary, according to requirements.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the entire heat resulting from the combustion of fuel in the combustion chamber is utilized to the best possible advantage. The fire-box being placed above the boiler and under the steam dome is in the hottest part of the water and gives off heat of the highest temperature at the point where it is most needed. From this point the residue of heat and volatile products of combustion pass downward through the heat flues and the current of water flowing upwardly in the annular space or spaces surrounding said flues, gradually imparting heat to the water and meeting colder water at each descending step. The cold water entering from below rises through the space or spaces between the smaller and larger flues and as it moves upward as shown by the arrows 2, comes is contact with a gradually rising temperature in the heat Hues from which it gradually absorbs heat until it reaches the space surrounding the intensely hot fire-box. The inner column or columns of heated air are thus caused to move in an opposite direction to the movement of the column or columns of water, and by meeting colder water at each lower turn or step the volume of heated air is contracted and its specific gravity increased so as to bring about those conditions which permit the heat to pass from a higher to a lower temperature of water until all the heat is expended. On the other hand the water in receiving the heat from the heat flues is caused to expand and by a natural law rises in the tubes. The air being admitted at the base of the furnace and passing upward between the water pipes alsoabsorbs any heat which may be radiated from said pipes and enters the fire-box in a heated condition, thereby securing perfect combustion and the development of the greatest possible heat from the fuel.

Another important advantage of this method of heating results from the fact that by locating the fire-box above the boiler the coldest water will be below, with a gradually decreasing temperature in the flues as the distance from the fire-box increases, so as to secure the conditions essential to the attainment of the best results and at the sametime I avoid the necessity for and disadvantages of a water circulation to protect the heat dues or pipes from burning.

In boilers of the usual construction, the fire being under the boiler, it is essential to se cure a constant upward movement of the heated Water, which is replaced-in turn by the return circulation, thereby" preserving a those conditions which are conducive to the,

best results. In my method, there being no circulation of the water either in a direct vertical line or open body, as in previous boiler constructions, the temperature isnot equalized, and I thereby secure the low temperature of water required to absorb heat fromlower temperatures of the residue of heat or waste products of combustion passing through the water-enveloped heat-flues, and thus produce independent currents of heat residue flowing down and water supply flowing up, thereby attaining the best results with but a small expenditure of fuel,

In some cases it may be found desirable to use only a single set of flues or pipes containing the water, and to cause the residue of heat and waste products of combustion to pass downwardly to the stack in a zig-zag course between the baifle-plates or partitions and in contact with the outer sides of the water pipes, instead of permitting the air supply to pass upward along said zig-zag open space surrounding said pipes.

It will be understood of course that I do not desire to be limited in the application of my invention to any particular class or type of boilers or hot water or steam heating apparatuses, as the invention may be applied in a number of ways without regard to any special form of apparatus for carrying the same into effect. And the same principles may be appliedin hot air heaters, in which, however, but a single set of flues would be required; the inner tubes or flues being dispensed with. But this latter feature will form the subject matter of an application filed concurrently herewith.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The method of heating hot water and steam, which consists in producingindependent currents of heat residue flowing down and through oppositely and upwardly moving enveloping currents of water supply; the ascending column of water being caused to flow in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of the heated currents only and without circulation on the boiler so as to gradually raise the temperature of the water in the direction in which it is moving, and applying the heat of highest temperature in the combustion chamberto a highly heated portion of water or steam at the head of the column, so as to maintain and intensify the heat at the latter point, substantially as described.

2. The method of heating hot water and steam and maintaining the steam at a high pressure, which consists in applying the heat from the fire-boxat its highest temperature to the hottest portion of a heated column of water or steam, and heating the column of water from such point of high temperature to a point of lower temperature by passing the residue of heat and products of combustion through the major part of the liquid column in a direction opposite to the direction in which the water is moving, and in a zig-zag course downwardly from the fire-box to the base of a stack or outlet flue for the heat, and simultaneously supplying heated air to the fire-box by admitting air at the base of the boiler and conducting the same upwardly in a zig-zag course in contact with the hot boiler pipes from a point of lower temperature to the point at which the fire-box is located, whereby the residue of heat from the firebox is gradually expended in raising the temperature of the water and air in the direction of the highest temperature attained while moving in an opposite direction to the direction of motion of the air and water, substantially as described.

3. The method of heating water and steam and supplying air to support combustion, which consists in passing the contents of a combustion chamber downwardly through an ascending enveloping column of water and effecting an upward current of air from the base of the liquid column in contact with the hot boiler pipes leading to a Water space or jacket surrounding the fire-box, substantially as described. v

4. In combination with the tubular boiler, the fire-boxplaced at the top thereof and provided with a water space surrounding the same and with a superimposed steam dome, the stack, and the heat flues extending downwardly through the boiler tubes from the firebox to the base of the stack, substantially as described.

5. A hot water and steam heating apparatus comprising the tubular boiler, the fire-box mounted thereon and provided with a surrounding water space and superimposed steam dome, the stack, and the heat flues connecting said fire-box with the base of the stack through the boiler tubes, substantially as described.

6. Ahot water and steam heating apparatus comprising a series of boiler pipes extending v in a zig-zag course upwardly from a supply pipe to a fire-box placed at the top of the boiler, said fire-box being provided with a water space surrounding the same and communicating with the upper tubular section steam dome; said boiler consisting essentially of a series of water pipes extending downwardly 1n a zlg-zag course from said water space to the inlet to the boiler, a stack,'and a corresponding series of heat flues inolosed in said water pipes and connecting the fire-box with the base of the stack, substantially as described.

8. The tubular boiler having the fire-box placed at the top thereof and consisting of a series of pipe sections extending in a zig-zag course from a supply pipe to a water space surrounding the fire-box and a corresponding series of heat fiues passing through said pipe sections downwardly from said fire-box to the exit end thereof, in combination with the batfle-plates and air inlet providing a serpentine conduit for supplying heated air to the firebox by contact of the air with the hot Water pipes of the boiler, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the boiler tubes having the fire-box placed at the top thereof and provided with a surrounding Water space and a superimposed steam dome, together with heat flues inolosed in said tubes, and the yertical and horizontal partitions or bafile-plates inclosing the boiler tubes so as to form a zigzag conduit for supplying heated air to the fire-box, substantially as described.

10. In combination with the boiler tubes and heat flues inolosed therein, the fire-box mounted at the top of the boiler, the air supply conduits leading from the bottom of the boiler in contact with the boiler tubes to an air space adjacent to said fire-box, the air pipes communicating with said air space, and the adjustable conical valves for controlling the admission of air, substantially as described.

11. In combination with the boiler tubes and heat flues inolosed therein, the fire-box mounted at the top of the boiler, the air supply conduits leading from the bottom of the boiler in contact with the boiler tubes to an air space adjacent to said fire-box, the air pipes communicating with said air space, and the adjustable conical valves for controlling the admission of air, together with the gas pipes extending through said air pipes and provided with a series of gas jets for directing commingled air and gas into the combustion chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HECKERT.

Witnesses:

BENJ. BUTTERVVORTH, STEELE MACKAYE. 

